"Already have fielded a few calls and now I am getting ready to meet with all the departments to get an update on where we stand and where we need to be. This will be a long day," Rutherford says, following news that the NHL lockout is over after the parties agreed on a tentative settlement.

The 48-game season is expected to start on or around Jan. 19 with teams playing within their conference.

Monday morning, Triangle Business Journal chatted with Rutherford for a little bit about the upcoming short season.

— On having a 48-game season: "First year I was a manager, I had a 48-game season. It was very exciting. every game felt like a playoff game. High intensity affair. If this will be anything like the last time, the fans are in for a treat. We have to play 48 games in about 100 days.'

— On jobs and economic impact: "We kept our entire full-time staff of 150 during the negotiations process. But the 1,200 part-time workers will be coming back helping us with our 24 home games. Not to mention the economic impact of having our concessionaires serve our customers, the nearby restaurants having game-day business, taxi, limousine services and hotel room nights.'

— On player salaries: "Our player payroll this year is at $57 million, highest level ever. Because of the lockout, players will be paid on a prorated basis."

— On ticket sales: "We lost 7 percent of our season ticket holders this year. But once the schedule comes out, I am hopeful most of them will be back with us."

Rutherford would not disclose the number of season ticket holders but we have reported in the past couple of years that the 'Canes have a season ticket base of a little more than 10,000.

— On the hockey team: "We have an excellent team this year. We acquired Jordan Staal, Alexander Semin and Joe Corvo during the offseason and all of them make the team better. And because of that, we now have some depth and we can move people up, if needed."

Last season, the Carolina Hurricanes finished fifth in the Southeast Division and 12th in the Eastern Conference. The team failed to make the playoffs for the third straight year and finished the season with a record of 33-33-16.